Review

Reviewed Work(s): Violin Fingering: Its Theory and Practice by Carl Flesch and Boris
Schwarz; The Principles of Violin Fingering by I. M. Yampolsky and Alan Lumsden
Review by: A. Rl.
Source: Music & Letters, Vol. 49, No. 3 (Jul., 1968), pp. 246-248
Published by: Oxford University Press
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/731760
Accessed: 27-04-2017 12:59 UTC

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abgedroschene
abgedroschene wunderbare
wunderbare 'Largo
'Largo
von Handel"'
von Handel"'
in 'Serse'
in is'Serse'
not "eine
is not "eine
belauschte
belauschteLiebesklage,
Liebesklage,die die
in Xerxes
in Xerxes
und seinem
und seinem
Bruder Bruder
Liebesleiden-
Liebesleiden-
schaft
schafterweckt".
erweckt". Serse
Serse
sings
sings
it alone
it alone
to a plane-tree:
to a plane-tree:
it is Romilda's
it is Romilda's
'O 'O
voi
voi che
chepenate'
penate'which
whichhas has
suchsuch
an effect
an effect
on him-Arsamene
on him-Arsameneis in loveis in love
with
withher
heralready.
already.
The
The music
musicexamples
examples dispersed
dispersed
throughout
throughout
the book
theare
book
moreareconcerned
more concerned
with
withwhat
whatis isfamiliar
familiar
than
than
withwith
effective
effective
illustration:
illustration:
we have,we
forhave,
instance,
for instance,
the
the opening
openingofof Beethoven's
Beethoven's fifth fifth
symphony
symphony (five bars),
(fivethe
bars),
syncopated
the syncopated
rhythm
rhythmininthe the finale
finale
of Schumann's
of Schumann's piano piano
concerto,concerto,
four bars
fourfrombars
thefrom the
'Meistersinger'
'Meistersinger' overture,
overture, three three
well-known
well-known fragmentsfragments
from 'Till
from
Eulen-
'Till Eulen-
spiegel',
spiegel',andandsoso on.on.
Professor
Professor EngelEngel
seems,seems,
indeed,indeed,
to regardto familiarity
regard familiarity
as
as aa criterion:
criterion: operas
operaswhich
which havehave
been been
successful
successful
particularly
particularly
deserve deserve
mention.
mention.ItItis isis is
a pity
a pity
thatthatthe examples
the exampleswere notwere more notcarefully
more carefully
revised. revised.
There
Thereare areobvious
obvious errors
errors in Ockeghem's
in Ockeghem's 'D'un autre
'D'un amer'
autre(p.amer'
136) and
(p. 136) and
in
in the
theorgan
organtranscription
transcription of Lassus's
of Lassus's
'Im Meyen
'Im Meyen
h6rt man' h6rt
(p.man'
I45). The
(p. I45). The
excerpt
excerptfrom from 'Tristan'
'Tristan'(p. 388)-Brangane's
(p. 388)-Brangane's 'O tiefstes
'O tiefstes
Weh'-is Weh'-is
clearly clearly
taken
takenfromfroma piano
a piano reduction,
reduction, not from
not from
the orchestral
the orchestral
score, and
score,
has two
and has two
bars
bars wrong
wronginin thethebass.
bass.
Debussy's
Debussy's'Et la'Et
lune la descend'
lune descend'
(p. 48I) should
(p. 48I) should
have
haveaabassbassclef
clef instead
insteadof treble
of trebleat theatbeginning
the beginning of the second
of thelinesecond
of line of
the
the second
secondsystem.
system. ForForsome someunexplained
unexplainedreasonreason
Palestrina's
Palestrina's
'Vestiva i'Vestiva i
colli'
colli'(p.
(p.198)
198)is is
quoted
quoted in Fin#Fminor;
# minor;and the andtranscription
the transcription
of Perotin's
of Perotin's
'Judea
'JudeaetetJherusalem'
Jherusalem' (p. 9I)
(p. is9I)dubious,
is dubious,
to sayto thesay least.
the least.
The
The bibliography,
bibliography, which
which includes
includes
moremore
than 30 thanworks30 by
works
the author,
by the author,
is
is awkwardly
awkwardly arranged
arranged
for for
reference.
reference.
The list
Theoflist
Gesamtausgaben,
of Gesamtausgaben,
periodicalsperiodicals
and
and encyclopedias
encyclopediasis far
is far
from
from
complete,
complete,
and there
and are
there
oddare
abbreviations
odd abbreviations
like
like 'A
'AHb'
Hb'for
for Adler's
Adler's
'Handbuch'
'Handbuch'
and 'Am'
and for
'Am''Acta
forMusicologica'.
'Acta Musicologica'.
English
EnglishandandAmerican
American names
names
are often
are often
disguised:
disguised:
'Boyel' for
'Boyel'
Boyd,for Boyd,
'Brooks'
'Brooks'for
forBrook,
Brook,'Domington'
'Domington'
for Donnington,
for Donnington,
'N. Newmann'
'N. Newmann'
for for
E.
E. Newman,
Newman,'Stephanson'
'Stephanson' for for
Stephenson,
Stephenson,
'Whython'
'Whython'
for Whythorne,
for Whythorne,
'Worshorne'
'Worshorne'for forWorsthorne.
Worsthorne.The The
publishers
publishers
expressexpress
the viewthe
that
view
the that the
bibliography
bibliographyand andthethe
index
index
will will
help help
to make
to make
the book
thea book
work of
a work
reference;
of reference;
but
but asasthe
theindex
index includes
includes
onlyonly
namesnames
of persons,
of persons,
withoutwithout
any subdivisions,
any subdivisions,
and
and does
doesnotnotlist
list
a single
a single
workwork
or form,
or form,
it is difficult
it is difficult
to see how
to see
this how
piousthis pious
hope
hopecan
canbeberealized.
realized.
Bacon
Bacon
wrote
wrote
that that
"some"some
books are
books
to be
are
tasted,
to be tasted,
others
otherstotobebeswallowed,
swallowed,andand
somesome
few tofewbe to
chewed
be chewed
and digested".
and digested".
Swallowing
SwallowingProfessor
ProfessorEngel's
Engel's
bookbook
wouldwould
be a major
be a undertaking;
major undertaking;
whether
whetherititcan
can
be be
digested
digested
depends
depends
on your
on digestion.
your digestion.
J. A. W.J. A. W.

Violin
ViolinFingering:
Fingering:itsits
Theory
Theory
and and
Practice.
Practice.
By Carl
ByFlesch.
Carl Flesch.
English translation
English translation
by
by Boris
BorisSchwarz.
Schwarz.pp.pp.
vii vii
+ 389.
+ 389.
(Barrie
(Barrie
& Rockliff,
& Rockliff,
London,London,
1966, 1966,
?6 6s.)
The Principles of Violin Fingering. By I. M. Yampolsky. English translation
by Alan Lumsden. pp. I29. (Oxford University Press, 1967, LI 15s.)
The titles of Carl Flesch's beautifully produced large volume on
'Violin Fingering, its Theory and Practice' and of I. M. Yampolsky's
'Principles of Violin Fingering' make it clear that these are technical
works written by outstanding practicians and teachers of their instrument
for practising, professional violinists. The study of fingering is an intrinsic
part of the mastering of every instrument. Although, or rather because,
the violinist has only four fingers of his left hand at his disposal with which
to create all but one note of several octaves, the choice of their positions,
shifts and behaviour plays a more vital and variegated role than in that of
any other instrument, excepting only those of its immediate family. Basic
rules of fingering are contained in the earliest methods; but only the
advanced requirements of eighteenth-century violin music, with its greatly

246

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increased demands of technique and expression, called for a deeper, more
complex organization and study of the functions of the left hand. Thus
Michel Corrette, Geminiani and Locatelli established clearly defined
systems of positions on the fingerboard, allowing for a precise and ration-
ally determined movement of the fingers from the half position to the
seventh. That great master of his craft, Leopold Mozart, examined the
problems of fingering not only from the technical point of view but also
for their aesthetic implications: changes of position, the choice of alter-
natives in the use of certain strings and other devices are to be governed
by considerations of'elegance', or expression.
The classical principles of rational fingering, based on positions, in-
cluding contractions and extensions, were well established in the second
half of the eighteenth century. As in all the arts, in violin playing, too,
the challenges of the great masters who broke through the confines of
established codes brought about significant changes and advances in both
theory and practice. Paganini, Kreutzer and Spohr, all three composers
as well as virtuosi, had, in the solo parts of their concertos, to match the
greater weight and more colourful possibilities of the larger and more
brilliant orchestras, playing in larger halls, by developing an extended
tonal range. An unprecedented use of double stops and chords, and
entirely new standards of bravura led to new conceptions of fingering
based on emancipation from the classical emphasis on positions and
requiring complete mastery of scale technique and 'dynamic mobility',
particularly necessary for playing on one string only-one of Paganini's
famous feats. Other masters throughout the nineteenth century, par-
ticularly those of the French, Belgian, Austrian, German and Russian
schools, evolved further refinements, and sometimes idiosyncratic devices
of left-hand technique: here again new trends were set by the great
virtuosi, from Joachim, Sarasate, Ysaye and others to Kreisler and the
great masters of our own day.
Basically, all theories of fingering have as their aim to forge the most
viable technical craftsmanship for the attainment of artistic ends. Although
this is almost a truism, many theorists are inclined to emphasize that no
one before them has realized this to the full extent. Yampolsky, whose
'Principles of Violin Fingering' first appeared in 1933, later revised and
extended, and now published in an English translation, stresses, like
Flesch and others, that "technical considerations spring from artistic
considerations and have no absolute significance". He criticizes Flesch
(on the basis of his editions of classical works and his chapters on fingering
in 'The Art of Violin Playing' of I923) on the grounds of "psychological
over-refinement, a tendency to excessive detail in phrasing leading to a
segmented view of the whole work", resulting in "a lack of simplicity".
Flesch's posthumous magnum opus, first published in Italian in I960 and
now in English with an illuminating preface by its excellent editor and
expert translator, Professor Boris Schwarz, and an authoritative foreword
by Yehudi Menuhin, would not have altered Yampolsky's view. It is,
however, a marvel of rational and enlightening presentation, logically
organized into four main parts dealing with positions, shift(s) of positions,
double stops and chords, and fingering as a means of expression, sub-
divided into upwards of 70 sections, with no fewer than 1,753 musical
examples, blessed by a separate index. There is no function pertaining to
the left hand (and, indeed, left forearm), no aspect and device of fingering
of the past and the present which is not presented, evaluated, judged and
amply illustrated. This cannot but remain the standard encyclopedia on
its subject by which all other works on fingering will be measured: it is
unquestionably the definitive work on this vital aspect of violin playing.

247

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The
Theauthor
authorhimself
himself
is well
is aware
well aware
that what
that
matters
whatmost
matters
is the most
intellectual
is the intellectual
grasp
graspofofthethe
problems
problems
of fingering.
of fingering.
Once thisOnce
is achieved-and
this is achieved-and
there can be there can be
no
no more
morepenetrating
penetrating
analyses
analyses
than Flesch's-there
than Flesch's-there
is room forisindividual
room for individual
choice.
choice.Flesch
Flesch
distinguishes
distinguishes
between
between
the principles
the principles
of fingeringoftofingering
be to be
adhered
adheredtotoby by
teachers
teachers
and editors
and editors
on the one
on hand,
the oneand the
hand,
public
and the public
performer
performer on on
the the
other,
other,
and allows
and both,
allowsbutboth,
particularly
but particularly
the latter, a the latter, a
great
greatdeal
deal
of of
room
roomfor individual
for individual
initiative.
initiative.
With this With
premisethis
the premise
criticism the criticism
of
of over-refinement,
over-refinement, of over-elaboration,
of over-elaboration,
or overwhelming
or overwhelming
detail loses itsdetail loses its
point.
point.This
This
work
work
is anisinexhaustible
an inexhaustible
corpus ofcorpus
technical
ofand
technical
interpretative
and interpretative
analysis,
analysis,advice
advice
and and
wisdom
wisdom
from which
fromevery
whichviolinist,
everyfrom violinist,
advanced
from advanced
student
studenttotovirtuoso
virtuoso
performer,
performer,
will derive
willstimulating
derive stimulating
instruction and
instruction and
challenge
challenge onon
anyany
aspect
aspect
of left-hand
of left-hand
techniquetechnique
and its stylistic
and itsimplications.
stylistic implications.
Yampolsky's
Yampolsky's much
muchslimmer
slimmer
volumevolume
is quite different
is quite different
in scope, though
in scope, though
it
it covers
coversconcisely
concisely
and lucidly
and lucidly
the same thebasic
samequestions
basic of
questions
technique of
andtechnique and
their
theirbearing
bearingon artistic
on artistic
principles.
principles.
It contains
It contains
a historicalaintroduction
historical introduction
and
and2525chapters,
chapters,withwith
musicmusic
examples,examples,
admirableadmirable
in their comprehensive-
in their comprehensive-
ness
nessand
andideal
ideal
as aas
clear,
a clear,
systematic
systematic
and easily
and
readable
easilyguide
readable
to the guide
study to the study
of
of fingering.
fingering. Comments
Comments and examples
and examples
are brief,are
butbrief,
always but
to the
always
point, to the point,
and
andinina handy
a handy volume
volume
of this
ofsize,
thisa perfect
size, a companion
perfect companion
for the student,
for the student,
the
theabsence
absenceof of
an index
an index
is, foris,once,
forentirely
once, entirely
forgivable.forgivable.
The preface isThe
by preface is by
David
DavidOistrakh,
Oistrakh, the the
greatest
greatest
living exponent
living exponent
of the Russian
of the
(or, Russian
as it is (or, as it is
here
herecalled,
called,
'Soviet')
'Soviet')
violinviolin
school.school.
Like Flesch,
Likewho
Flesch,
had set
who
out had
to bring
set out to bring
reason
reasonand
and
method
method
into into
what what
he had he
found
hadtofound
be a "state
to be
of arbitrariness,
a "state of arbitrariness,
of
of purely
purelypersonal
personal
whim,
whim,
dangerously
dangerously
close to anarchy",
close to in
anarchy",
matters ofin matters of
left-hand
left-hand conventions
conventions
and practices,
and practices,
YampolskyYampolsky
considers his
considers
book as a his book as a
guide
guidetotohelp
help
violinists
violinists
to find
totheir
findown
their
solutions
own tosolutions
questionsto
of questions
fingering of fingering
on
on the
thebasis
basis
of of
a rational
a rational
presentation
presentation
of their of
technical
theirand
technical
interpretative
and interpretative
aspects.
aspects.While
While somesome
recommendations,
recommendations,emphasisemphasis
on one or the
on other
one or the other
element,
element, andand
conclusions
conclusions
vary, vary,
violinists
violinists
can only gain
can by
onlydigesting
gain byanddigesting and
applying
applying thethe
lessons
lessons
of both
of masters.
both masters.
The musical
Theworld
musical
will be
world
the will be the
richer
richerforfor
it, it,
andand
we could,
we could,
thanksthanks
to Fleschto(pp.
Flesch
65-66),(pp.
even65-66),
hear theeven hear the
famous
famouschromatic
chromatic
violin
violin
passage
passage
in the 'Tannhauser'
in the 'Tannhauser'
overture, "one
overture,
of the "one of the
boldest
boldestand
and
most
most
revolutionary
revolutionary
instrumental
instrumental
inspirations
inspirations
of all time", aof all time", a
flawless
flawlessrepresentation
representation of which
of which
"has never
"has
yetnever
been attained
yet beenandattained
hitherto and hitherto
aa blot
blotonon
orchestral
orchestraltechnique",
technique",
played smoothly,
played smoothly,
clearly and clearly
"in a manner
and "in a manner
worthy
worthyofof its its
creator,
creator,
provided
provided
the performers
the performers
spend half spend
an hourhalf
of study
an hour of study
on it". A. R1.

Folk Song in En
London, 1967, C
Mr. Lloyd's boo
Divided into fiv
reference of its t
conditions which
before; it does no
50 years ago, com
to at some lengt
but it briefly su
work-projects of
movement, the m
in England' is pr
for its broad com
and literary glan
chapter on the in
England and else

248

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